Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Cardiac Reintervention After Pediatric Cardiac Surgical Procedures

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Cardiology
• Health Disparities
• Surgical Outcomes

Background:

• Postoperative reintervention is crucial for children after cardiac surgery.
• Racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare access and outcomes are well-documented.
• Understanding these variations in pediatric cardiac surgery is essential for improving care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine racial and ethnic variations in reintervention rates.
• To investigate the association between race/ethnicity and in-hospital death after pediatric cardiac surgery.
• To identify potential disparities in postoperative care for children undergoing cardiac procedures.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Pediatric Health Information Systems (PHIS) database from 2004-2015.
• Included 124,263 children undergoing cardiac surgical procedures.
• Employed regression analysis to assess associations between race/ethnicity, reintervention, and mortality.

Main Results:

• Black patients had lower reintervention rates (5.9%) compared to White patients (6.7%).
• Black patients experienced higher in-hospital mortality (3.9% vs. 2.7%).
• Even after adjustment, Black patients were less likely to receive reintervention but had similar mortality risk if they did.

Conclusions:

• Racial/ethnic minorities face higher mortality risks without reintervention.
• Black patients are less likely to receive needed reinterventions, despite similar risks associated with the procedures.
• Further research is needed to address the root causes and solutions for these disparities in pediatric cardiac care.